Research Project

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this with the subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

In this subject, students undertake a substantial program of original research in one of the many research fields in which the School of Physics is active and internationally recognised: astrophysics, condensed matter physics, optics, and particle physics. The research may be experimental and/or theoretical in nature. It will be conducted under the supervision of a member of the School’s academic staff. The results will be reported in the form of a substantial thesis. In most instances, it is expected that the results will also be submitted for publication in a learned scientific journal. As part of their introduction to the research topic, students will be required to complete a seminar series and/or reading course providing advanced theoretical and/or practical training in the field.

Students would normally enrol in a combination of Research Project subjects as indicated below over four semesters of full-time study or over eight semesters of part-time study, to ensure they have completed a total of 100 points by the end of their course.

• 640-609 Research Project - 12.5 points
• 640-608 Research Project - 25.0 points
• 640-607 Research Project - 37.5 points
• 640-606 Research Project - 50.0 points

The objectives of this subject are:

• to introduce students to the excitement and challenge of fundamental and applied research in physics;
• to challenge students to deepen their knowledge of fundamental physical principles by pushing outward the boundaries of knowledge;
• to complete a substantial piece of original research whose quality is sufficiently high that it is publishable in a leading international physics journal;
• to prepare students for further advanced research in physics, for example through doctoral studies.

The assessment requirements below are applicable to the entire 100 point Research Project.

(1) a preliminary literature survey and research plan at the end of year one or after the student has enrolled in 25 points of Research Project, (10 pages of mixed text, diagrams, and mathematical formulas; pass/fail);

(2) an oral presentation at the end of year one or after the student has enrolled in 25 points of Research Project (up to 20 minutes; pass/fail);

(3) a major thesis, comprising up to 50 pages of mixed text, diagrams, and mathematical formulas, due at the end of the second year of the MSc (90% of the final grade).

(4) an oral presentation lasting up to 30 minutes, given at the end of the second year of the MSc (10% of final grade).

(5) successful completion of a seminar series and/or reading course (depending on the research stream) providing advanced theoretical and/or practical training, marked on a pass/fail basis.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of this subject, students should have gained the ability to:

• analyse how to solve a problem by applying fundamental laws to complicated situations;
• apply abstract ideas to real-world situations;
• participate as an effective member of a research team;
• develop excellent written and oral communication skills through writing a major thesis and presenting results in departmental seminars;
• manage time effectively;
• start to develop the capacity for fully independent research.